Devotionals by The Journey

Psalm 40:1-3 For the director of music. Of David. A psalm. I waited patiently for the LORD; he turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand. He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear and put their trust in the LORD.

Let’s first take note of where David was standing. Look at verse 2. David was in a “slimy pit” filled with “mud and mire.” Not a good place to be. If you have ever tried to walk through deep mud you get have an idea of David’s predicament. Every step is difficult. Every step takes effort. Your footing is unsure. Walking in mud and mire produces great unsteadiness. Ever been there? Ever been at a place in life filled with difficulty, uncertainty, and instability? Maybe you are there today. Let’s learn from David.

First, cry out to God. David needed help and he wasn’t afraid to ask his Father. He was not ashamed to admit that mud and mire walking was not his strong suit. He was in a hole and he was not too proud to cry out to the only One who could remedy his slimy situation. Why do so many of us think that somehow we can lift ourselves out of our pits? Cry out to God.

Second, be patient. Don’t expect God to deliver you in the next nanosecond. He will leave you there until you have learned all you need to learn. So wait patiently and listen to the Teacher.

Thirdly, praise God. Many quickly forget about what God has done. Having been lifted from the pit and placed on the rock we simply clean off the mud and continue on our way. Sometimes we downplay the whole pit experience. “Well, I just panicked a bit. I could have gotten myself out. I could have worked my way to the rock.” Why do we do that? How about some praise! How about acknowledging the Deliverer! How about shouting that new song he has put in our mouths!

Finally, tell others. What God does for us will be a great encouragement to others. Slimy pit deliverances should be community experiences. Let the church know what God has done. Then we can all rejoice. We can all build our trust. We can all bow down in worship.

How about it? Got any slimy pit deliverance experiences you’d like to share? Let’s sling some mud stories and build up the Body! Who knows? Maybe God will use your slimy pit story to ignite another's heart!